The Microsoft Excel World Championship (MEWC) 2024 is the third edition of the competition, focusing on Excel skills. Unlike previous years, this edition is held in Las Vegas with a full-scale eSports setup, including RGB lighting, monitors, keyboards, and mice. It features both individual and team competitions, with more complex Excel-based challenges designed specifically for Excel formulas, making it a true test of Excel proficiency.
OpenAI transitioned to a for-profit model to make it easier to raise funds and sustain its operations. The company aims to balance its for-profit activities with its non-profit mission, ensuring that profits support non-profit initiatives. This shift allows OpenAI to remain competitive in the rapidly evolving AI industry while continuing to pursue its broader societal goals.
The HK$19 Bluetooth earphones were found to potentially transmit malware to connected devices. Within five minutes of connecting to a Windows PC, malware was detected, including crypto-mining software and a Trojan that could steal sensitive information. Although technically unlikely for Bluetooth devices to transmit malware without additional software, the timing of the malware alerts suggested a possible connection to the earphones.
The winner of the Microsoft Excel World Championship 2024 is a Hong Kong-based actuary who has now won the competition three times consecutively. Despite the relatively modest prize of $5,000, his consistent success highlights his exceptional Excel skills and expertise in financial modeling.
The competition runs from January to October 2024, with monthly battles open to anyone for a $20 entry fee. Winners of these battles advance to the finals in Las Vegas, where 104 participants compete in a high-stakes elimination format. The finals involve seven levels of increasingly complex Excel challenges, with participants eliminated every five minutes based on their scores.
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